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Terrence McNally to interrupt 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest' at Conference on World Affairs

By Joe Rubino Camera Staff Writer

Posted:
03/19/2013 04:43:06 PM MDT

Updated:
03/19/2013 09:16:39 PM MDT

In the summer of 1968, before his senior year of college, Terrence McNally signed up to run a camp for schizophrenics.

In preparation, he read Ken Kesey's 1962 novel, "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," and later had himself secretly admitted to Boston State Hospital for three days to experience life as a mental patient.

"I didn't have to pretend; I didn't have to act. I passed as a patient," McNally said. "That summer made an enormous impression on me."

At this year's Conference on World Affairs at the University of Colorado, McNally, now an experienced actor, media consultant, screenwriter and radio host, will have the novel and the summer of 1968 in mind when he hosts the "Ebert Interruptus" movie analysis of "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest."

Released in 1975, the film is one of three movies to win all five major Academy Awards: best picture, best director, best screenplay, best actress and best actor. Jack Nicholson won for his role as R. P. McMurphy, a criminal who is transferred to a mental hospital.

During the popular weeklong Interruptus sessions, any member of the audience can freeze the film by yelling "Stop!" to make comments or ask questions.

McNally, who has visited CU as a CWA panelist 11 times, said he already has some thoughts he hopes to discuss with Interruptus attendees.

"One of the wonderful qualities about it is people tend to think about it with a smile on their face," NcNally said. "It's got a life energy thing and yet it is a tragic film. That is an achievement in a way. Why is this film life affirming, when only the Indian gets out alive?"

Renowned film critic Roger Ebert created the Interruptus with CWA founder Howard Higman in 1975 but recently stopped hosting the event because of his health. Jim Emerson, a Seattle film critic who works closely with Ebert, had taken the reins in recent years, but he is also ill this year, leading CWA Director Jim Palmer to reach out to McNally.

"We're extremely lucky to have someone like Terry who can step in and do this," Palmer said. "He is very witty and droll, and extremely easy to talk to, so I think he is going to be a very inviting host."

Palmer, a film studies professor, said he "couldn't be more thrilled" about McNally's film choice and was surprised it hadn't been the subject of an Interruptus before.

"There are a handful of films where everything comes together -- the cast, the script, the direction, the production -- and 'Cuckoo's Nest' is one of those films," Palmer said.

An uninterrupted screening of the movie will be at 4 p.m. April 8 in Macky Auditorium, followed by Interruptus sessions each of the following four days at 4 p.m. in Macky.

The Conference on World Affairs, now in its 65th year, runs from April 8-12 on the CU campus.

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